"Are we there yet?"

Maeve couldn't count the times she had asked that, or the miles that they had walked. All she knew was that if she trudged another mile, her legs would potentially go gangrenes and fall off, or maybe her feet. Or all of her limbs.

The soles of her feet ached terribly, not to mention the depths of her female organ. A giggle echoed in the back of her mind. As it turned out, neither TJ nor Jordon seemed to know what a period was, or how to deal with them. It was a little bit hilarious to spill the beans about her sudden menstruation. Ellie couldn't stop laughing either.

The only unfortunate thing about having periods and being in an apocalypse is that feminine products were at an all-time low. Even before Ellie got bit, at the school, the girls there had strict limitations for pads, tampons, and all that jazz. Then again, it did feel awkward having to improvise, to prevent bleeding all over herself. She seemed to have a thousand worries swirling inside her head.

Would the infected smell her, like, her blood? Because that would suck serious ass.

And then it begged more questions, such as: would they have to stop often for supplies? For...rags...and stuff.

She could deal with pain, not wanting to take out-of-date medicine. It was nothing, surviving while on her period, just that it tended to make others around her uncomfortable. Note-ably men. Because they're wussies.

After all that she had witnessed, her own blood made her queasy.

Joel was more composed than she thought he would be. TJ too. Maybe Tess gave them some proper female anatomy lessons. She was grateful they didn't make a big deal out of it and humiliate her.

Not that she was ashamed of being female, or anything...

"Like I said ten minutes ago," Joel's tiredness seemed to vibrate through the autumn air. "We're nearly there."

"But you said that a mile ago!"

"We'll get there when we get there," TJ, from the back of the group, grunted out, annoyed, probably.

Another complaint stirred in the back of her mind, but she bit her tongue. She was well aware that everyone was beyond exhausted, and hungry. Her complaining most likely dampened the others' moods too, or so she had to guess.

"So, you ready to see your dear old brother?" Ellie's voice pierced the autumn air.

There it was. A question Maeve had gnawing at the inside of her trachea. She glanced at her sister and then at the back of Joel's head.

The older man seemed to tense as he drew a breath and sighed. "I'm just ready to get there."

"You nervous?"

"I don't know what I'm feeling."

As they went along the road, they came across an end. The road itself was washed out, most likely from erosion or a landslide. Either way, the bridge was disrupted, and it was too far to try jumping. The steep, muddy hill below and in between the gap didn't seem inviting enough for Maeve, especially not with all the twigs and branches mixed in the soil. And...maybe animal bones...? Maybe if she squinted hard enough, she could see a decayed skull, or maybe scattered bits of vertebrae.

"Saved your life!"

A set of hands seized her shoulders, jolted her forward, and then forced her back. A scream tore through the wilderness, even scaring a few birds from the perches on trees. Her stomach lurched into her throat, but only for a split second.

Once again, her heart thumped painfully inside her chest as she whipped around to her cackling sister.

"Dammit, Ellie! Stop fucking doing that!" Her face reddened in humiliation.

"That was too good!"

She glared at her sister while she cackled like the little witch she was. From the corner of her eye, even TJ and Jordon held down their grins and amusement. Her cheeks puffed out with embarrassment.

"It's not funny anymore!"

"It is," Ellie wiped away the tears from her eyes. "I can't help it, you do it to yourself."

"How the fuck do I do it to myself, you little shit?"

The fact that Ellie didn't respond to her pissed her off more. Instead, she twirled around with her wicked little grin.

"So much for this road," she said as if she hadn't nearly scared the life out of her sister.

Not far from them, a red Rover wrapped around a diagonal tree, its doors wide open. Most of the vehicle was trashed and anything inside was pulled out on the grass-covered pavement.

Joel seemed to have picked it clean...er, cleaner. It didn't look like it had much, to begin with, although he seemed to find a...was that a revolver with a scope?

"We'll follow the river," he spoke. "It'll lead us straight to Tommy's. C'mon."

"I'm not trying to question your expertise or anything, but," Maeve began as they started off the road, toward the vigorously flowing river. "Are you sure you know where you're going? I mean, when was the last time you heard from Tommy, exactly?"

Joel descended the dry riverbed, grumbling incoherent mumbles. "It's been a couple of years."

She was glad she brought out Jordan's coat to wear. Being near the river was chilling, or was it the mist from the raging currents the cause of it? Either way, she had shivers shock her body yet again.

"Y'know, you're askin' too many questions," TJ blurted from behind her.

"You mean, the right questions," she corrected. "How do we know he's still here? What if he's moved someplace else?"

"I guess we'll see when we get there."

"So...I know it's none of my business, but, uh," Jordon awkwardly coughed into his fist. "you said this Tommy guy is Joel's brother, right? So, what's your deal?"

"I don't know the guy," TJ responded.

"Then how do you know him?"

"I don't. Joel raised me, so I heard a lot about him."

"Wait — so, you were serious about him being your babysitter?" Ellie sputtered, doing a backward walk to face the blond.

"I don't lie." He seemed insulted.

Okay then.

"Interesting," Maeve rubbed her chin. "Joel raised you. So, who're your parents?"

"Oh my God, can y'all just shut up? What's so interestin' about me all of a sudden? I don't have parents, satisfied?" His accent thickened with each word spewing past his lips.

Maeve had noticed it did anytime he got nervous or uncomfortable with a subject. Interesting, yet suspicious. She read her mental notes from the past several months of travel. Joel was a bit harder to read, but TJ wasn't too difficult. He had these tics that would appear almost at random, though it was obvious he would try and hide them. It was quite obvious the mere mention of Tommy made him wary, though the "why" seemed fogged by half-truths.

She didn't understand why it mattered. TJ clearly was a teenager, and Tommy must've been pushing forty-something, he wouldn't know him at all. Unless, like, he was around TJ for a little while. The thought certainly had a prickly feeling tingle through her. So many conspiracies flooded her brain, eager to find the answer that wasn't being given on a silver platter.

"No, I am not," she answered haughtily. "But I guess it's whatever."

"So...you and Tommy...since you're not together, something clearly went down."

They walked under a broken bridge.

"Ah...uh, we just had a bit of a disagreement, that's all."

"Oh, here we go," Ellie practically skipped, achieving an answer out of him. "What was it about?"

"Tommy saw the world one way; I saw it the other."

"And that's why he joined the Fireflies?"

Joel dryly chuckled. "Yeah, your friend Marlene promised him hope. That kept him busy for a while, but just like Tommy, he eventually quit that too."

"And how was it, the last time you saw him?"

They had to climb up some uprooted ground and around a small cliff. The river seemed to thin a bit during their trekking.

A sigh left the older man. "I believe his last words to me were "I don't ever want to see your goddamn face again." "

"Jeez..."

"That's rough."

"But he's gonna help us?"

"I suppose we're gonna find out."

Ellie puffed her chest out, "Well, with or without his help, we'll get there."

"I've got a question," Jordon raised a hand. "Tell me to fuck off if you want, but I've got a reason for wanting to join the Fireflies, but why are you wanting to?"

"Oh, we're not looking to join." Maeve was given a weird glance.

"Really? 'Cuz, I thought—"

"It's complicated," she interrupted him. "Don't worry about it."

He looked like he wanted to ask more, but he closed his mouth and stared up at the path ahead.

"Whoa, what's that ?" Ellie's jaw practically hit the soggy ground when she saw the grand structure of a dam.

It was beautiful, no doubt. Like a huge waterfall, well, she supposed it was a waterfall; the walkway connected two buildings at the top of the dam. Maeve felt so tiny compared to the giant flow of water. Before them was a much smaller building with thin metal railings and a short set of steps.

Her brain's wheels turned while she caught a glimpse of the concrete walkway across from the small building. It led to a long set of metal stairs to avoid hiking the cliff near it.

"That there is a hydroelectric power plant."

"A... hydra who?"

"It, uh...uses the river's movement and turns it into electricity."

"Uh-huh," thinking about it made her brain hurt. "How's it do that?"

Joel sighed. "Look. I know what it is, I don't know how it does it."

"Hmm...how do we get across?" Ellie grabbed a crank wheel, acting as if to turn it but didn't.

"Seems like this thing has one of those blockage things," Maeve, behind the railing, peeked over to the flow of water, spotting a curved metal sheet. It had bridge potential.

"Oh, sweet, lemme just—" Ellie gripped the wheel, though without the proper friction, her palms slid down and she couldn't get an inch.

"Alright, move over, Toe Fungus."

TJ replaced Ellie, much to her dismay, and easily turned the crank wheel. A metallic squeal groaned into the dampened air. An algae-coated metal plate merges from the flowing water, eventually clicking into place above it, creating half a bridge.

"Well, that gets us halfway. If we get the other one up, we'll make it across."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

Ellie glared at TJ and his unnecessary comment.

"We can figure a way out. Maybe there's something in the water we can use—"

"Uh, fuck no!" Maeve cut Joel off. "It is, like, fucking winter. No one is getting in the water."

The man seemed surprised by her outburst, and the others too.

"It's fall."

"Like that fucking matters," she shot a glare at TJ. "One of us can jump to the other side and turn the crank. It's that easy."

"Okay, let's say one of us did that, what would happen if we were to fall in? Then what?"

"Then don't fall in," Maeve rolled her eyes. "Look, it's easier than risking pneumonia. We don't need sick people escorting us. It won't really do us any good if you're dying from some cold."

The blond groaned and rubbed his hand over his face.

She smirked.

Maeve: 4 TJ: 7

She was getting better at winning arguments against that mule. Beautiful. She enjoyed winning arguments. It felt so awesome to achieve something barely trivial. Her comebacks were a little childish compared to TJ's, but she somehow managed to grab him by the ear at times. At those times, it was literally the best fucking feeling.

"This is fucking stupid."

She smugly watched TJ involuntarily step onto the slippery blockage plate. And with his giraffe-like legs, he easily hopped onto the other walkway. She could hear his grumbles from over the rushing water as he turned the wheel, completing their bridge to the other side.

"Teamwork," Ellie grinned, lifting her hand to high-five TJ as she crossed over.

Instead, he rolled his eyes and glided past her. Ellie was bummed she didn't receive her high-five. She pursed her lips poutingly.

"Or you can just leave me hanging, that's cool too."

"I've got you, chica ," Jordon slapped her hand before Ellie dropped it to her side.

"Finally, someone who knows what fun is!"

Her sister's grin returned to her face as the other boy willingly gave her the high-five. Ellie's joy caused Maeve to smile. Things like high-fives or fist bumps were like holy grails to her. She liked to be a part of something, Maeve supposed it was because Ellie liked being 'bro' with people, she seemed to enjoy making others laugh, all while being herself as a person.

"Shut up."

"You don't gotta be so stingy," Maeve chastised TJ.

"Alright," Joel cut in before an argument aroused. "Tone it down some, will ya? You're givin' me a headache."

Maeve sealed her lips, though she kept her grin. Well, she hadn't won entirely, and her victory wasn't solid, but she will have the final laugh.

"Auggh...I'm so hungry!" Ellie groaned out once they reached the top of the metal stairs.

"I know, we are too."

By the mere mention of food, Maeve felt her belly lowly rumble. The roar of the river seemed to fade out the yearning growl. Just last week, they went on a food strike, having a concernedly low number of supplies. Most houses and buildings they tried to rummage through had already been picked clean, therefore leaving them unable to stock up again.

"Alright," Ellie huffed. "Next squirrel I see, I'm totally shooting it."

The others chuckled.

"Let's get past this place, then we can scrounge up some food."

They reached the top of the cliff, following along a muddy path the rain created.

Construction equipment blocked part of the path, whereas a gate blocked the way into the dam. The muddy path seemed to fork different ways with recent track markings. Mud suffocated the already misty air, the structure of the dam creating a metallic tang too.

Maeve tried not to cringe, feeling the mud squelch under her heels, the sound of stepping on mud grossed her out. Anything that made squelching sounds grossed her out in general. It made her skin crawl with disgust. She peered around the small area, eyeing the construction equipment and vehicle. The faded yellow paint on the broken-down metal frame stood out boldly amongst the darker colors of the area.

"Uh..." There seemed to be no other way around the compound. "Should we head in?"

"Yeah, I ain't seeing nowhere else to go through," Jordon agreed with Ellie.

"Guess we don't have any other choice but to move through the dam."

Joel sighed and then approached the doors of the gates. His hands were flat on the door, ready to push when...

"Don't even think about reaching for your weapons."

...quite a few people suddenly appeared on the top of the gate, in the lookout towers with guns aimed at the small group. Near immediately, those who had their guns hurried to pull them out, which only triggered the people up above to further be wary.

A blonde woman, in particular, had a mean-looking rifle, fluctuating her aim between TJ and Joel. Having seen that Ellie and Jordon brought out their own guns.

"Tell the kids to drop theirs now."

Maeve shifted her weight between her legs, holding her hands up in surrender so she wouldn't get shot. She couldn't pinpoint which of those people had their weapons aimed at her, and if she made a wrong move, she'd be shot dead.

"Ellie, Jordon," Joel never took his eyes off the people at the top. "Do as the lady says."

Slowly, the wary two lower their pistols.

"Please tell me you're lost," the blonde woman spoke again, cautious tone hardened.

"We didn't know the place was occupied," Joel tried to reason. "We're just trying to make our way through."

"Through to where?"

"They're alright," a deeper voice rang out, a southern draw twisting the words like cursive words. From somewhere behind the gate, someone began to open and slip halfway out of the large doors.

"What, you know them?"

"I know him ."

Maeve blinked; the man looked familiar. Or at least oddly enough. His dark blond hair grazed his jean coat while he stepped around the door, giving Maeve a better look at him, and suddenly she realized why he appeared familiar. His facial features were just like...

"He's my goddamn brother," the man took large steps toward Joel, embracing him with the arm that wasn't holding the rifle.

"Tommy."

TJ stepped away from the older men almost stiffly, an unrecognizable emotion flitting across his form. Somehow, he shuffled away from them, standing beside Maeve, who tried to fit the uneven clue pieces together.

"Holy shit," they separated.

"How you doin', baby brother?" Joel inquired light-heartedly.

It was a tone she hadn't heard him use before. Relief and slight joy, it was odd hearing him so...not emotional, but hearing so much raw emotion in his voice. Her heart hurt for them.

"Let me look at you," Tommy looked Joel up and down and chuckled. "You got fucking old."

The man scoffed. "Easy — it's gonna happen to you too."

Tommy chuckled; the blonde woman remade her appearance, slipping through the doors, more relaxed than she was when she was on high alert. She stopped beside Tommy, who smiled at her adoringly.

"This is Maria," he introduced, returning his gaze back to his brother. "Be nice to her, she sorta runs things around here."

Maeve made a mental note to remember that.

"Ma'am," Joel's accent suddenly thickened with that one word. "Thanks for not blowin' my head off."

The petite woman cheekily smiled a lopsided smile and adjusted the rifle in her arms. "Would've been embarrassing, considering you're my brother-in-law."

Joel's face exploded with surprise as he looked between her and Tommy.

"We all gotta get wrangled up at some point." The blond man grinned.

Wait. There it was.

It clicked. The connection. She glanced at the boy beside her, flitting her attention between him and Tommy. Same chins, jaws, they both were...well, Tommy wasn't as tall as TJ, but it was clear about the resemblance. It also began to make sense why TJ had certain views about him. She briefly recalled their first meeting; TJ had made a comment about him too.

But there was no doubt about it.

TJ was Tommy's son.